Supply & demand concerns woodworkers

HE outlook for supply and demand for lumber and plywood was the topic for two industry leaders, Jim Duart of American Forest Products and John Aram, Weyerhaeuser Co., at the 22nd annual convention of the Woodwork Institute of California, held at Carmel Valley.

A log export ban would "increase the domestic price levels of lumber-not lower them," Aram told the group.

He explained that "our reasoning involves the total trade flow of wood and wood products between the U.S., Canada and Japan. As the major customer for export logs, the Japanese depend upon the U.S. for roughly 30/o of their wood needs, and they prefer to buy logs rather than lumber.

"At the same time, we, like the Japanese, also depend heavily on imports. Today, Canada supplies approximately 3O/o of our lumber for housing and British Columbia is this nation's largest single supplier of softwood lumber."

Aram forecast that "if we ban the export of logs to Japan it will result in Japan being forced to bid for lumber instead, and one of the sources would undoubtedly be the Canadian lumber we in the U.S. now depend upon so heavily."

Ralph McClure, Union Planing Mill, Stockton, was elected president. Other officers are Jack Carpenter, Valley Planing Mill, Van Nuys; lst vp.; Charles di Cristina, J. di Cristina & Son, San Francisco, 2nd vp.; Edwin Bernhauer, Fresno Planing Mill, treasurer.

Redvood

D. C. ESSLEY & SON

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